The present invention relates to a packaging apparatus and a method for wrapping flat articles, such as books, in a package blank.
Patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,653 discloses a package closing machine, which is only suitable for closing the outer cardboard of a package, not for closing an inner wrapper. This prior known machine is not applicable to the automatic reception of varying-width package blanks, but, instead, necessitates manually performed positioning operations as soon as the width of a package blank changes.
Even in a general sense, the packaging machines are not applicable to the fluctuation of package blanks in terms of the size thereof, or to the varying size and number of books, without production breaks and re-settings.
The present invention relates to a packaging apparatus for wrapping flat articles, such as books, in a package blank which is a cardboard-made flat panel, including first flaps or inner flaps remaining on the inside in a finished package and second flaps or outer flaps remaining on the outside in a finished package, and said packaging apparatus comprising a supply station for package blanks, comprising means for aligning and centering a bundle of package blanks and feed means for delivering the blanks from the bundle one by one onto a packaging line, the aligning and centering means including walls present on the opposite sides of the bundle of blanks; an opening mechanism for the inner flaps of package blanks; a supply station for feeding one or more articles, or a consignment, onto each package blank; means for folding and bending the inner flaps around the consignment; means for turning the package blank through 90xc2x0 relative to its advancing direction, and means for folding and bending the outer flaps around the consignment on top of the inner flaps in a bending direction transverse to that of the inner flaps.
The invention relates also to a method for wrapping flat articles, such as books, in a package blank which is a cardboard-made flat panel, including first flaps or inner flaps remaining on the inside in a finished package and second flaps or outer flaps remaining on the outside in a finished package, said method comprising the steps of feeding a bundle of blanks constituted by package blanks to a supply station for blanks; aligning and centering the bundle of blanks between vertical walls present at the supply station and laterally delimiting the bundle; delivering the blanks from the bundle one by one onto a packaging line; opening the inner flaps; feeding one or more articles, or a consignment, onto each blank; folding and bending the inner flaps around the consignment; and folding and bending the outer flaps around the consignment, on top of the inner flaps.
It is an object of the invention to provide a packaging apparatus and method of the above type, which are suitable for automatically receiving package blanks of a varying width, and whereby the wrapping can be performed automatically from start to finish, even if the dimensions of a consignment to be wrapped keep changing.
This object is achieved by means of a packaging apparatus of the invention, featuring the characteristics set forth in the annexed claim 1. Respectively, the object is achieved by means of a method, featuring the characteristics set forth in the annexed claim 5. The non-independent claims disclose preferred embodiments of the invention, which secure the completion of a wrapping process automatically and without production breaks, although the dimensions of package blanks and a consignment keep changing.
These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.